Mindset Key To Losing Weight, CU Doctor And 'State Of Slim' Author Says

DENVER (CBS4) - It's no surprise that the No. 1 New Year's resolution is to lose weight.

But there's one doctor who's determined to turn that resolution into a revolution.

Dr. Holly Wyatt, of CU's Anschutz Health and Wellness Center in Aurora, has dedicated her life to better understanding weight loss -- and our mindset around it.

The co-author of "State of Slim" says the key to success is more mind over body.

Wyatt says losing pounds is about mindset: "How you approach behavioral change is critically important for long-term success."

A New Year's resolution should be a revolution, Wyatt says, because in the beginning, we have a lot of will power. But as time goes on, that will power can vanish.

LINK: anschutz-wellness.com

Nicole and Robert, a husband and wife team following the workout regimen outlined in "State of Slim," say they've gained so much more than they've lost.

"We really gained a lifestyle -- tools to improve our health and wellness for the rest of our lives," Robert says.

They've been following the "State of Slim" principles since Nov. 10. She has lost 9 percent of her body weight. He has lost 12 percent of his.

"I am down 15 pounds," Nicole says.

"I'm down 27," Robert adds.

The program at Anschutz requires a 16-week commitment from participants.

The key to losing weight, of course, is diet. Keeping it off entails physical activity.

"You definitely need to move. You definitely need to get in physical activity," Wyatt says.

And making a resolution all about losing weight is the quickest way to falling short.

"I think you can be successful, but you've got to set yourself up for success," she says, "if what's important to you is in line with your thinking and the way you're living your life. It's a state of being."